Question

Difficulty: MediumTriangle Properties and Angle Theorems

In △ABC\triangle ABC, the measure of ∠A\angle A is 40∘40^\circ. The measure of ∠B\angle B is three times the measure of ∠C\angle C. What is the measure, in degrees, of ∠B\angle B?

Answer: 105 degrees

Answer

The measure of angle B is 105 degrees.
The sum of the interior angles in any triangle is 180∘180^\circ. By setting the measure of ∠C\angle C to xx and the measure of ∠B\angle B to 3x3x, we can write the equation 40+3x+x=18040 + 3x + x = 180. Solving for xx yields 4x=1404x = 140, which simplifies to x=35x = 35. The measure of ∠B\angle B is 3x3x, which is 3×35=105∘3 \times 35 = 105^\circ.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Set up the equation using the fact that the sum of angles in a triangle is 180 degrees.
m∠A+m∠B+m∠C=180∘m\angle A + m\angle B + m\angle C = 180^\circ
The angles of any triangle in plane geometry sum to 180 degrees.
2
Represent the unknown angles algebraically.
Let m∠C=xm\angle C = x, then m∠B=3xm\angle B = 3x. Substitute m∠A=40∘m\angle A = 40^\circ.
This allows solving for the unknown angles with a single-variable equation.
3
Solve the equation for xx.
40+4x=180  ⟹  4x=140  ⟹  x=3540 + 4x = 180 \implies 4x = 140 \implies x = 35
To find the measure of angle C.
4
Calculate the measure of angle B.
m∠B=3(35)=105∘m\angle B = 3(35) = 105^\circ
Angle B is three times angle C, and we need to find the measure of angle B.

Key Concept

The sum of the interior angles of a triangle is always 180 degrees.
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